Udon Thani youth gang nabbed for burglary spree and drug use

A gang of young boys aged between eight and 15 years old have been apprehended by the local police in Udon Thani for a string of burglaries in the neighbourhood, as well as drug use. The group, led by a 15 year old Puek (pseudonym), was arrested on the evening of today, at 10.30pm, by the investigative unit of the Udon Thani City Police.

Police seized several items from the gang, including a blue Yamaha Fino motorcycle, a yellow mountain bike, a hoverboard, and various tools used for breaking and entering. Also found among the confiscated items was a set of clothes belonging to Puek, left behind at one of the burgled houses.

The gang’s crime spree was brought to a halt when they targeted the house of a 42 year old local teacher, Wuthinan, and his 44 year old wife, Juthathip. The couple were not home at the time, having left their house unattended for two weeks.

The young criminals not only stole various items valued at approximately 100,000 baht (US$2,813) but also held a drug-fuelled party, singing karaoke and playing party games, reported KhaoSod.

Puek confessed that he had noticed the house was empty for several days and decided to break in with his gang. They entered the property by breaking the back door with a hammer and then proceeded to ransack the house.

They played music, sang karaoke, and even played games with balloons in the living room. The stolen items were taken to Puek’s house, located about 500 metres away from the crime scene, to sell them.

Drug taking

Puek also admitted to taking drugs at the crime scene. He had purchased the amphetamines from a friend in the Udon Thani municipality at the price of 50 baht per pill. He expressed his remorse to the victims and promised to stop using drugs and committing crimes.

Puek’s grandmother, a 56 year old woman identified as Noy, admitted that she had been raising Puek since he was a young child. She was disappointed with his behaviour and apologised to the victims. She also pledged to take better care of her grandson and guide him towards a better path.

The teacher, Wuthinan, while saddened by the incident, was understanding towards the young criminals. He expressed his hope that they would change their ways and become better citizens. He also implored other teachers and parents to take better care of their children to prevent them from going astray.